Iris E. Johnston Obituary (1943 - 2023)

Iris Elaine Johnston, born July 23, 1940, to Eric and Miriam Brill Klefstad, went to her eternal home in Heaven with Jesus on March 8, 2023. Iris was the oldest of six children, was raised on a dairy farm in the Town of Sheridan, attended eight grades at Little Beaver School and graduated from Prairie Farm High School in 1958. She went to the University of WI Eau Claire for one year and then transferred to Lutheran Bible Institute (LBI) in Minneapolis where she graduated in 1961. She was employed as a parish secretary and youth advisor at Nativity Lutheran Church in Saint Anthony Village MN. During these years she traveled with friends, played softball, started lifelong hobbies including knitting, sewing, needlework especially Hardanger, furniture refinishing, choir, and gardening. Her younger siblings benefited over the years from her big city familiarity, readily available couch, and frequent transportation to and from the airport. After some fifteen years Iris left her work as parish secretary to take a position at American Lutheran Church Headquarters in Minneapolis where she worked in the Department of Parish Education. She met her future husband Wendell Johnston who worked at ALC as well, was also a realtor and sold her first house. They were married on October 15, 1975. When ALC Headquarters moved to Chicago in 1987 Iris chose to join her husband in owning and managing several apartment houses on Stevens Avenue, a very historic area in Minneapolis. They made their home in a large ballroom on the fourth floor in one of these mansions. Over the years they became loved and regarded as “American Parents” to a young tenant from Ethiopia, Berhanu Endale. For many years Iris and Wendell spent weekends in Wisconsin preserving an 88 acre woodland, cutting firewood, gardening, feeding birds, joining family gatherings, and attending church at Hay River Lutheran where they were faithful members. After Wendell died in 2015 Iris and his son Joel maintained the rentals. She had hoped to eventually retire in a chatteau-type country home she built on their Wisconsin property and that she and Wendell had planned for years. She was able to enjoy her new home on weekends for a couple years. Unfortunately, health issues and Covid changed her life and she lived her last two plus years at Autumn Village Assisted Living and most recently at American Lutheran Home in Menomonie. Iris is survived by three brothers - Curtis (Joanne), Roger (Willy), Rolfe (Jill) and two sisters, Susan Lamb (Gary) and Karen Vietti, fifteen nieces and nephews - Kevin, Bruce, Brent, Ryan, Michael, Janine, Santina, Lance, Bethany, Angela, Andrew, Erica, Adam, Luke and Gretchen, thirty one grand nieces and nephews, friend Berhanu, Wendell’s sons Eric and Joel, granddaughter Samantha, and many cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Wendell, her parents, and brother-in-law James Vietti. Iris’s love of simple yet foundational things encouraged us to work hard and enjoy the beauty around us every day. Her dry wit and gracious attitude will be missed by all who knew her. Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 11, 2023 at Hay River Lutheran Cemetery, Wheeler, WI with Pastor Adam Klefstad officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will take place in Hay River Lutheran Cemetery at a later date.